SC State Tuesday practice report

South Carolina State held its first two-a-day practice on Tuesday. The Bulldogs worked out in full pads in their morning session but wore just waist-up gear in the evening drill.

In the first-half of the morning workout, Coach Buddy Pough’s team continued its installation while putting the players through some rigorous exercises.

“We will have just four two-a-day sessions and due to NCAA regulations, we have to alternate them,” Pough said. “We will have two such workouts this week and two next week for a total of just four.

“When we do have two-a-days, we will usually have our tougher practice in the morning,” he continued. “It’s generally a little cooler then and you work them (the players) a little harder but you do not want to be overbearing.”

In the evening practice, the Bulldogs concentrated on special teams, punt protection and pass protection, according to Pough. Defensively, he noted, SC State devoted some attention to pass rush, blitzing and in the second half of the two hour plus practice, did some waist-up team and scale drills.

“We see progress,” Pough said. “We are taking the opportunity to look at some of the young players to see if they can help us right away or will they be able to help us down the road. Some of them greeted the first two-a-day workout a little starry-eyed but we expect them to come along as they get more experience.”

Pough said that putting on full pads had led to some bumps and bruises from several players, including two or three projected starters, however, he noted that the staff was monitoring those players carefully and wouldn’t hesitate to hold them out of practice as “it is a long preseason and we need those players to be ready in three weeks so if it’s veteran players and they know what to do and we know that they know what to do, we will be careful with them.”

The Bulldogs return to the field Wednesday at 3:10 p.m. for their eighth preseason practice.